Solidated



(No Model.) I s Sheets-Sheet 1.' M. BROOK.

LASTI NG MACHINE.

Patented Apr.'5, 1898 (No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 3.

M. BRO-GK.

L'ASTING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 5,1898.

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(No Model.)

a Sheets-Sheet 4 M. BROOK. LASTING MACHINE.

No. 601,933. Patehted Apr. 5,1898.

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,% Maw 'WW (No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 5, M. 3300 LASTING MACHINE. No. 601,933. PatefitedApr. 5-, 1898.

Wi l!!! (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

M. BROGK. I LASTING MACHINE.

No. 601,933". Patented Apr. 5,1898.

(No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 7. M. BROGK.

LASTING MACHINE.

No. 601,933. Patented Apr. 51898.

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MFFICE PATENT SOLIDATED & MOKAY LASTING MAINE.

MACHINE COMPANY, on PORTLAND,

LASOTINIG-MACHINE.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Le'tters Patent No. 601,933, dated A an 5, 1898.

Application filed May 24, 1897 Serial N'ov 637,850. (No model.)

To all whom it may cancer-rt:

Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lasting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like figures and letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention has for its object to improve what are known as lasting-machines for lasting boots and shoes.

One of the main features of my invention lies in suitable means for automatically ad- 3' usting the boot or shoe to be lasted relatively to the toe and heel lasting devices, so that the said heel and toe lasting devices will properly meet and act upon the ends of the shoe, whether the latter be'a left or right shoe or otherwise formed or shaped to present at its ends different lines or inclinations.

I believe that I am the first to have invented mechanism by means of which such relative adjustment between the toe and heel lasting mechanisms on the one hand and the boot or shoe to be lasted on the other is automatically effected.

The above, with other features of my invention,.will be hereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1, in side elevation, illustrates a machine containing one embodiment'of my invention, the position of the last for holding the shoe durin'g the process of lasting being indicated in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section on the dotted line as as, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail showing the cam-disk 35, which is secured to or 40 forms a part of the cam-Wheel 32, Fig. 1. Fig.

5, on an enlarged scale, shows the heel-lasting devices with the cap removed to expose the parts beneath; Fig. 6, a vertical longitudinal section on the dotted line ac m, Fig. 5, with the cap in position; Fig. 7, a View similar to Fig. 5, with the wiper-plates and actuatingbar removed to expose parts beneath; Fig.8, a cross-section taken on the'dotted line 00 00 Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a view like Fig. 7, with the parts in different positions; Fig.10, a detail,

looking at the under side of the cap. Fig. 11, on an enlarged scale, is a top or plan view of the toe-lasting devices, Fig. 1; Fig. 12, a vertical longitudinal section thereof on the dotted line y y; Fig. 13,'a sectional detail showing the toe part and some of its connections; Fig. 1 1, a diagrammatic view, looking down upon the machine, showing the relative positions of the heel and toe lasting devices and last when operating upon the left last; Fig. 15, a similar view with the heel and toe lasting devices and last in the relative positions they will occupy when operating upon a right last.

For assistance in disclosing my invention I have selected for an illustration of the same the machine shown in the drawings above referred to, although it should be understood that my invention is nottherebyrestricted to the embodiment therein shown.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters inthe severalfigures indicate like parts, the base 1,'Figs. land 2, of suitable shape and construction to sustain the working parts, has mounted upon 'it'at the rear side thereof suitable bearings 2 2,in which is journaled the main or driving shaft 3, upon which are loosely mounted the continuously and oppositely rotating pulleys 4 5, provided at their inner adjacent faces with suitable friction surfaces adapted for engagement with the opposite friction-disks 6 7 on the sliding sleeve 8, splined upon said shaft 3 between said pulleys.

The sliding sleeve 8 is grooved circumferentially for the reception of e loose ring 9, provided with diametrically o msite trunnions 10, which rest in the forked arms of a To stop rotation of the shaft 3 when the treadle 13 is released, I have provided said shaft with a friction or brake wheel 16, cooperating with which is a brake-shoe 17, car'- ried by an arm of a hub 18, fast on a shaft 19, mounted in suitable bearings in apost on its base, said hub also being provided with an oppositely-extended arm 21, to which is connected a spring 22, acting normally to maintain said brake-shoe in braking contact with said brake-wheel.

The brake-shaft 19 referred to isherein provided with a pair of radially-extended arms 23 24, Fig. 2, provided at their ends, respectively, with set-screws 25, which lie directly over the ends of two laterally-extended arms 26 27 on the treadle-shaft 12 referred to.

Booking of the treadle-shaft in either direction to start the shaft 3 will cause one or the other of the arms 26 27 to act upon its set-screw and through the arm to which said set-screw is attached rock the brake-shaft in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, to release the brake.

Release of the treadle and return of the same to its normal intermediate position to stop the shaft 3 permits the spring 22 to apply the brake and stop the said shaft 3.

Fast on the left-hand end of the main shaft 3 (see Figs.'2 and 3) is a pinion 28, which meshes with and drives a larger toothed wheel 29, fast on a shaft 30, journaled in bearings also in the post 20 referred to, said shaft also having mounted upon it a pinion 31, Fig. 3, in mesh with and driving the large toothed cam-wheel 32, fast on a shaft 33, journaled in suitable stands 34 on the base. (See Fig. 1.)

The toothed cam-wheel 32 has formed on its left-hand face, Figs. 1 and 3, a spiral camgroove 34, and secured to the opposite face of said wheel, or it may be forming a part thereof, is a cam-disk 35, also provided with a spiral cam-groove 36. The use of these camgrooves 34 and 36 will be hereinafter fully explained. I

Upon the base 1 is erected the central column 37, carrying at its top the table 38, and within said column 37 is arranged in suitable guides the vertically-sliding cross-head 39, having a depending adjustable actuatingrod 40, Fig. 1, forked at its lower end to straddle and be guided by the bearing or stand 34, and provided at its side with a roller or other stud 41, Fig. 3, which travels in the spiral cam-groove 34 in the cam-wheel 32, and whereby rotation of said cam-wheel causes said cross-head to be raised and lowered, as necessary.

Upon the top orcrown of the cross-head 39 are arranged the transversely-movable slides 42, grooved longitudinally of the machine (see Fig. 3) to receive and adjustably hold the several fin ger-carriers 43, to which are respectively pivoted at 44 the girth-fingers 45, to the inner free ends of which are attached one of the ends of the girth-straps 46. The

several girth-straps 46 extend from the rear ends of the fingers, to which they are secured, across to the opposite side of the machine (see Fig. 3) through, loops 47 on the under sides of the girth-fingers there located, thence over rollers 48 in the finger-carriers and down and attached at their lower ends to suitable tension-springs 49, secured to brackets 50, fast on and movable with the cross-head 3O referred to. As the cross-head is raised by the cam-groove 34 in the rotating cam-wheel 32 the finger-carriers 42, mounted thereon, will be likewise raised to cause their fingers to draw the girth tightly about the body of the last to stretch the material of the shoe thereupon.

Within the cross-head 39 and arranged to reciprocate vertically in guideways therein is the slide-plate 51, (see Fig. 3,) provided with a depending adjustable actuating rod 52, forked at its lower end to straddle and be guided by the adjacent bearing-stand 34 and provided with the roller or other stud 53, which travels in the spiral cam-groove 36 in the face of the cam-disk referred to, so that said cam-groove gives to said slide-plate a rising and-falling movement together with and also independent of the cross-head. This slide-plate 51 is shown provided with two oppositely-inclined cam-slots 54, which receive the studs 55 on the lower ends of the levers 56 (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3) and pivotally mounted at 57 on the cross-head with their upper ends in engagement with the transversely-movable slides 42 referred to.

The spiral cams 34 and 36 referred to are so shaped and timed that during the first part of the rotation of the shaft 33 both the crosshead carrying the fingers and the slide-plate 51 will rise together until the shoe-upper has been tightly drawn about the body of the last, as described, at which time the fingers 45 have risen above the level of the last. Further rotation of said shaft now causes the drop in the cam-groove 34 at 34 to slightly drop the cross-head and its fingers 45 while the slide-plate still further rises, this relative movement between said cross-head and slideplate causing the inclined cam-grooves 54 in the slide-plate to separate the lower ends of the levers 56 and throw the upper ends and the connected carrier-slides inwardly to cause the fingers and their attached girth-straps to fold over and lay the material upon the bottom of the last in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art.

A cam 58, (see Fig. 1,) loose on the shaft 33, is arranged to be acted upon by an arm 59, fast on said shaft, and moved to swing a yoke 60, embracing said cam in one or the other direction, according to the direction of rotation of said cam, to thereby cause said yoke,which is notched, to embrace the treadle 13 to release or return said treadle from one To prevent accident, whichmight otherwise arise if the driving-shaft 3 didnot stop promptly, I have herein mounted the pinion 31, Fig. 3, upon a sleeve 31, loosely engaged about the shaft 30 and clutched to the latter by a suitable clutch, shown ascomposed of a disk 61, fast on the end of the said sleeve and grooved to receive a lug on the face of a sliding collar 62, splined-upon said shaft 30.

The sliding collar 62 is grooved circumfer entially to receive the forked end of a lever 63, Fig. 2, fulcrumed at 64, and provided 'at its opposite end with a stud running in contact with the face of a cam-disk 65, fast on the shaft 33. When the shaft 33 has rotated its proper distance, if the driving-shaft is not stopped in season the cam 65 will by its further rotation act to disengage the clutch 61 and stop the rotation of the shaft 33 in season'to'prevent damage.

The last, carrying the shoe to be lasted and indicated at Z in the several figures, is or may be provided with any suitable supporting or holding devicesuch, for instance, as the usual heel-socketfor the reception of the supporting-pin 66, Fig. 1, forming a part of the block 67, pivoted upon the upper end of the jack or supporting post 68, mounted to move vertically in suitable bearings in the column, said postbeing preferably divided between its ends and provided with-suitable meansfor example, the threaded adj usting-nut 68 by which to 'vary the effective length of the last-carrying post. This supporting-post at its lower end rests upon the cam-shaped edge of the foot-treadle 69, ,(shown principally in dotted lines, Fig. 3,) said treadle being fulcrumechat 7 O and projecting outwardly at the front of the machine in convenient position for movement bythe operator. Depression of the treadle 69 acts through the last-supporting or 'jack post to raise the last into working position and also'furnishes means for compressing thelasted material between the bottom of the last and the heel-lasting wipers when the latter outlie the end of the last.

To drop the last-supporting post to release,

the lasts when the lasting operation is completed, I have herein provided the shaft 33 with a dog 70, which at the proper time engages one arm of a bell-crank lever 71 on the treadle 69 and through said lever raises said treadle to its normal position.

Passing now to the toe and heel lasting devices, the former will be first described, referring particularly to Figs. 1, 11, 12, and 13.

The table 38 has suit-able guideways, in which is mounted the longitudinally-sliding carriage 72, provided 7 with suitable standards 73, between which is mounted to rotate upon short longitudinally-adjustable studs 74 (shown only in dotted lines, Fig. 12) the yoke-shaped tipping-plate holder 75, provided at its rear end with a swivel-nut 76, in which is threaded the adjusting-screw 77, acting upon the carriage and furnishing means to transverse axis on the studs 74 to accommodate the toe-lasting devices to the varying springs or longitudinal curvatures at the bottoms of the toe portions of the lasts. ally mounted on studs 78, in the arms of the yoke-like tipping-plate holder, is the tipping plate 79, resting at opposite sidesof its longitudinal axis upon springs which act to normally hold said tipping plate yieldingly in a centralor horizontal position. A stud 81 on the tipping plate 79 furnishes a suitable axial bearing for the operating-cam 82, shown as disk-like in form, and provided with an operating-handle 83, by which the operator can rotate said cam at will in either direction. Atits under side the cam 82 is provided with a suitably-shaped cam-groove for the recep-- tion of the roller-stud 84 on the longitudinallysliding block 85 ,s1otted at its right-hand end, Fig. 12, to receive the vertical arm of a bellcrank lever 86, pivoted at 87 in a longitudinally-adj ustable plate 88, secured to the under side of the tipping plate 79. The horizontal arm of said bell-crank lever 86 (see Fig. 12) is jointed to the lower end of the end-wiper holder 89, shown as socketed at its upper end to receive therein the cylindrical shank 90 of the end ,wiper 91. This end Wiper 91 herein consists of a U-shaped metallic plate or back 92 with a leather or other covering or face 93. The wiper-shank 90 is shown as circumferentially grooved at V 94 to receive the pin 95, which prevents said shank and its wiper risingfrom the holding-socket therefor without in any way interfering with the free rotation of said wiper and shank in said socket. A spring 96, secured to the wiper-holder 89, acts upon the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever 86 and thereby holds the end wiper back in its proper position against its back support on the tipping plate.

The operating cam 82 at its top side is provided with two cam-grooves 97 98, the groove 97 receiving the roller-stud 99 on the under side, ofthe abutment-slide 100, the V outer end of which at the right, Fig. 12, is shaped and adapted to constitute an abutment against which the toe of the shoe is placed when positioning the, said shoe preparatory to lasting. As the operating-cam is rotated for actuating the toe-lastin g devices this abutmentrslide is withdrawn bysaidcamgroove 97, so as not to interfere with the working parts operating about orin the vicinity of the toe.

The inner camgroove 98 referred to receives the roller-stud 101 on the under side of the wiper-slide 102, arranged in suitable guideways in the under side of the cap 103. To the outer end of this wiper-slide, at the right, Fig. 12, are pivoted at 103 (see Fig. 11) the toe-wiper carriers 10 i and toe-wipers 105, adjustably secured tosaid carrier- The'wiper-carriers 104 referred to have respectively secured to their upper sides the cam-plates 106, crossing each other like a pair vary the tip of said plate-holder about its of sleeves and diagonally slotted at 107 to receive the roller-studs 108, depending from the transversely-sliding bar 109, also arranged in suitable guideways in the cap referred to.

Rotation of the operating cam 82 acts, through its cam-groove 98, to move the wiperslide 102 forward, carrying therewith the wipers, which are pivoted thereto. This forward movement of the wipers carries'them over the toe end of the last and at the same time causes their attached cam-plates to be acted upon by the depending roller-studs 108 referred to and moved one laterally toward the other to thereby close the advancing wipers over the end of the last to lay or wipe the material over and upon the bottom of the last.

As herein shown, one end of the transversely-sliding bar 109 is connected with the slotted end of one arm of a bell-crank lever 110, pivoted at 111 to a bracket 112 on the tipping plate 79. The other arm of this bellcrank lever 110 is slotted to receive a pin 113, fast on one arm of a lever 114, fulcrumed at 115 on the end-wiper carrier 89, Figs. 12 and 13, the opposite short arm of said lever entering a vertical recess 116 in one side of the cylindrical wiper-shank 90 referred to.

When in the rotation of the operating-cam 82 the slide 85 at the under side thereof is moved back or to the left, Fig. 12, it acts through the bell-crank lever 86 to raise the end wiper 91 to cause it to wipe the material of the upper smoothly about the sides of the toe of the last. If, however, the toe of the last be an extreme right or left or be otherwise so shaped or formed that its outline or contour does not happen to correspond in its alinement with the alinement of the end wiper 91 and the wiper-plates 105, then said end wiper, as it rises to wipe the material about the sides of the toe end of the last, will, on contact with the last or the material thereupon, swing to the right or to the left to adapt itself to the lateral inclination or alinement of the end of the last or to any variation in the thickness of the material at the sides of the last and by so doing acts through the levers 114 and 110 to move the slide-bar 109 in the direction of its length but transversely of the machine to cause its roller-studs 108, acting inthe inclined cam-slots 107, to shift the wiper-carriers and their wipers also to the right or to the left into such positions that the opening presented between said wipers will correspond as to its alinement or as to the inclination of the working edges of said wipers with the alinement of the sides of the toe end of the last as determined by the risin g end wiper. It is thus clear that when the operating-handle 83 is moved to manipulate the toe-lasting devices the latter, in the machine herein illustrated, are automatically and laterally shifted into such position that they will properly and uniformly meet the sides of the last however much the inclination of the sides thereof may vary. This,

- therefore, is one means for effecting a relative adjustment between toe-lasting devices and the adjacent end of the last to meet varying inclinations of the sides of a last, either a right or a left.

During the action of the toe-lasting devices the toe end of the last is firmly supported upon the padded upper end of a toe-post 117, arranged to slide in vertical guideways in the inner face of the carriage, said toe-post having at one side an adjustable block 118, arranged immediately above a cam-plate 119, fast on a short shaft 120, Fig. 1, j ou'rnaled in a suitable bearing on and depending from the sliding carriage 72. On this short shaft 120 is a forwardly-extended arm 121, to which is connected a wire 122, reaching downwardly to the treadle 123, fulcrumed on the base of the machine. To this treadle is attached a tension-spring 124, which tends constantly to raise the treadle and its connected toe-post, the raising of said treadle and post being normally resisted by a pin 125on a bracket 126, secured to and vertically movable with the cross-head within the column and heretofore described.

When the machine is at rest, the cross-head within the column is in itslowermost position,

and consequently the treadle 123 is held in its depressed position, the toe-post 117 being then held tightly in elevated position above the cam-plate 119 by a light bow-spring 127, Fig. 12. When, however, the cross-head referred to rises, as described, for lasting the sides of the shoe, it carries with it the bracket 126 and pin 1% and permits the spring 124. to correspondingly raise the treadle 123 and thereby turn the shaft120 and cause its at tached cam-plate 119 to act from beneath upon and to press the toe-post and the toe end of the last firmly upward against the usual holddown 128, pivoted to and to swing back upon the top of the cap 103.

The holddown 128 is locked in its holding position by sliding it on its pivot to carry a holding-lug 128 thereon beneath the holding dog 129, pivoted at 130 on the cap 103 and held in adjusted position by a set-screw 131. (See Fig. 12.) By means of this set-screw 131 the height of the holding-clog 129 may be varied at will to thereby vary the level at which the end of the holddown 128 will lie to thus accommodate said holddown to materials of varying thicknesses. A spring 132, attached to the holddown and to a collar on its pivot, acts to draw the said holddown normally against its said pivot, away from which it may be slid or withdrawn by the operator in carrying the locking-surface 128 on said holddown past the locking-dog 129 during locking and unlocking. Since the toe-post is raised by the spring 124:, it is free to stop at any point determined by the last and the thickness of the material thereupon.

Should the bottom of the last in the vicinity of the toe present a pronounced roll, .due to an imperfectly-positioned socket or holdingpin or otherwise, or should the material at one side of the last be thicker than at the opposite side, the lasting devices described are free to automatically adjust themselves to such roll or unevenness of material whatever be its direction or extent, the tipping plate at suchtimes, together with the parts carried thereby, rolling upon its trunnions 78, described, and compressing one or the other of the side springs 80, which latter returns said tipping plate and its parts to their normal central position after one lasting operation and preparatory to'the next.

To move the carriage 72 longitudinally to carry the toe-lasting devices into proper'position relatively to the side lasting devices, I have herein provided the said carriage with a rack 132, (see Fig. 12,) which is meshed with a pinion 133 on the shaft 134, carried by table 38 and provided with a suitable handwheel 135. This hand-Wheel (see Fig. 2) is provided at its rear face with a series of ratchet holding-teeth 136, which are engaged by the spring controlled pawl 137 to'hold said wheel and its carriage in adjusted position.

Passing now to the heel-lasting devices particularly illustrated in Figs. 5 to 10, inclusive, the table 38 is provided with suitable guideways for the sliding heel-carriage 138, made longitudinally adjustable in said guideways by a suitable adjusting-screw 139, (see Fig. 6,) held against longitudinal movement at one end, as there shown, and provided with a beveled pinion 140 in mesh with a bevel-wheel 141, Fig. 1, fast on the hand-wheel shaft 142, journaled in bearings carried by the table and provided with a suitable hand-Wheel143, rotation of which will thus cause longitudinal adjustment of the heel-carriage to adapt the heel-lasting devices carried thereby to the side lasting devices described; The heel-carriage 138 (see Figs; 6 and 8) is provided with two vertically-extended arms or stands 144, slotted horizontally at their upper ends to receive a horizontally-adjustable pivot-bolt 145, on which is pivoted the tipping-plate holder 146, shown as bifurcated at its rear end to receive the curved slotted arm 147, rising from the carriage 138, a guide-pin 148 passing through the plate-holder and the slot in said arm. The tipping-plate holder 146 at its rear end carries a swivel-nut 149,. in which is threaded the adjusting-screw 150, connected at its lower end, preferably by a universal joint, with a lug on the slotted arm 147 of the carriage. Rotation of the adjusting-screw 150 swings the plate-holder and trunnions 152 to automatically adapt its parts to the roll of the heel end of the last, substantially as described with'reference to the toe mechanism, springs 154 at the sides of the said plate serving to maintain the latter normallyin an intermediate or central position. To the front of the tipping plate 153 is secured, as by a screw 155, the middle portion of the clasp-chain 156, within which is arranged the flexible clasp 157, adapted to embrace the heel end of the last with the material thereupon. 'The ends of the clasp-chain 156, and therefore the ends of the clasp, are connected in suitable manner, as by pins 158, (see Fig. 7,) with the sliding pins 159, longitudinally movable in sockets in the ends of positioning devices 160, springs (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9) being interposed between the ends of said pins 159 and the bottoms of said sockets to press said pins and the ends of the clasp normally outward.

The positioning devices 160 are fulcrumed at 161 on the tipping plate 153 and have jointed to them at 162 one of the ends of the actuating-levers 163, provided, respectively, with the angular slots 164, each of said slots extending longitudinally for a distan'ce near its end adjacent the joint 162,.and a rear angular portion, as shown, the angular portions of the two slots being extended in opposite directions. I (See Fig. 7.) Springs 165 are interposed between the actuating-levers 163 and the tail portions 166 of the positioning devices, said springs being limited in their movements by nuts 167, threaded on the ends of the limiting-bolts 168, carried by the actuating-levers and passing through the tail portions of the positioning devices.

The pivot-pins 162 are vertically extended and provided with rollers which enter the cam-slots 169 in the wiper-carriers 170, (see Fig. 5,) said wiper carriers being pivotally connected at 171 to the end of the common actuator 172, shown as a slide-bar, said carriers having secured to their under sides the adjustable wipers 173, although said wipers and their carriers may be made integral, if desired. The sliding actuator bar 172 is arranged to slide in suitable guideways in the under side of the top plate 174, said bar at its rear end (see Fig. 5) having a longitudinal slot 175, which receives the pin 176 on the handlever 177, fulcrumed at 178 to the free end of a lever 179, pivotally connected at 180 to the tipping plate.

Jointed to the 'under side of a hand-lever 177 isa short link 181, Figs. 6 and 7, carrying at its free end a roller-stud 182, which dropsinto the angular slots 164 in the actuators referred to and atits upper end is guided in the slot in the under side of the actuator-bar 172. I

Having placed the last and shoe upon the last-support preparatory to lasting, the operator by means of the hand-wheel 143 moves the heel-carriage to the left, in the drawings, to cause the heelclasp to tightly embrace the heel end of the last with the material thereupon. The operator now grasps the handle 177 and draws the latter toward him in the IOO ICS

direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, causing its pin 176, Fig. 5, to travel for a short distance in the slot 175 in the actuator-bar without moving the latter or the wipers. During the time of this lost motion, however, the roller-stud 182 on the short link 181, connected with the hand-lever, moves to the left in the opposite angular portion of the slots 164 and causes the latter to be thrown outwardly, and there by through the springs 165 moves the inner or free ends of the positioning devices and clasp inwardly toward the heel end of the last to cause said clasp to tightly embrace said heel end. if the end of the last, by reason of its being a right or left of extreme form, happens to be in a position with its median line at a considerable angular positionthat is, if the converging side lines at the heel of the last stand in different angular or inclined positions with relation to the sides of the opening formed between and by the edges of the wipersthen one end of the heel-clasp connected with one of the positioning devices will meet the side of the last in advance of the other, and when one positioning device thus meets and is stopped by the last in advance of the other its actuator 163 will also be stopped in its sidewise movement, causing the roller-stud 182 to follow the line of its curved or angular slot 164:, and by so doing impart an excessive transverse movement to the other slotted actuator to throw the latters positioning device through a greater distance inward to meet the opposite side of the last. The positioning devices act like equalizer's,the one first meeting the last being stopped, and thereby through its cam-slot operating to give an excessive movement to the other positioning device that the latter may be moved through the greater distance necessary to meet its side of the last; Thus it matters not what be the inclined line or alinement of the heel end of the last, due to its being a right or left or otherwise, the positioning device which first meets the last will be stopped and the other will continue its movement until it also meets the last, the two positioning devices thus acting to place their roller-studs 162 in transverse positions, which bear the same unequal relation to the median line of the head as do the sides of the heel end of the last to the median line of the head.

' Any movement of the hand-lever after both positioning devices meet the last acts equally upon and to press them both tightly against the surface of the last at both sides thereof, and any excessive movement of the operating-lever and actuating-levers 163 after the positioning devices have met the last will be taken up in compressing the springs 165. This shifting of the positioning devices acts through their roller-studs 162 and the slots 169 in the wiper-carriers to automatically throw the latter and their wipers to one or the other side of the median line of the head, so that their line of movement when subsequently moved forward and closed will substantially coincide or be in alinement with the median line of the heel end of the last, which line of course may vary, according as the said last is a right or left or according to the contour of the last.

The movement of the operating-lever to accomplish what has just been described takes place before the pin 176 reaches the end of its lost motion in the slot 175 of the actuator-bar, and having thus properly positioned the wipers to advance uniformly upon the last from opposite sides thereof further movement of the said operating-handle causes its pin 17 6, acting against the end of the slot 175, to act through the said actuator 172 to carry bodily forward the wiper-carriers and their wipers to move the latter over and upon the bottom of the last, the angular slots 169 in the carriers at the same time operating upon the studs 162 to close the wipers one toward the other to thereby lay the material tightly over and upon the bottom of the heel end of the last. It will thus be seen that movement of the operating lever or handle 177 for carrying the wipers over the heel end of the last in the present machine herein described acts also and automatically to swing the said wipers to one or the other side of the median line of the head and to correspondingly change their line of closing movement to properly act upon the heel ends of the lasts,either rights or lefts or otherwise formed, to present varying side inclinations or alinement at the heel end of the last.

The positioning devices described by positioning the heel-wipers accurately with relation to the sides of the heel end of the last preparatory to the closing movement of the wipers renders it certain that said wipers when subsequently closed will move inwardly over the sides of the last through uniform distances and to points uniformly distant from the sides of the last, thereby rendering more uniform the quality of the work.

A latch 183, pivoted at 184 to the under side of the actuator 172, has a hooked end, which during the forward movement of' the actuator, while the pin 176 is at the forward end of its slot, is forced by a suitable projection 185 (see FigrlO) on the cap into position behind said pin 17 6, so that during the first part of the return movement of the hand-le ver to the right, Fig. 5, said pin 176 will act through the latch 183 to also return the actuator and the wipers, thus eliminating that lost motion between the operating-lever and actuator which takes place at the beginning of the first movement of the operating-lever to the left. Further movement of the operating-lever, however, carries the said latch beyond the projection 185 and releases the said latch, permitting it, under the pressure of the pin on the lever, to be pushed to one side, leaving the actuator and its wipers at a standstill, while during its further movement the positioning devices and clasp are return ed to their original positions.

. tom up.

lasting mechanisms.

The top of the pivot-pin 182 referred to travels in the enlarged portion 175 of the slot 175, (see Figs. 5 and 6,) which is of suffi cient width to permit said pin moved thereinto to move to the right or to the left as the positioning devices are shifted to meet the alinement of the end of the last. When, however, the actuator is returned to its normal position, this pin 182 is drawn back fromthe enlarged portion 17 5 of said slot into the narrower slot proper, 175, which acts to center said pin. and return the positioning devices and the wipers automatically to theiroriginal or central position preparatory to another lasting operation.

Referring particularly to Fig. 9, by screwing up the nuts 167 the heel-clasp maybe opened or varied to meet varying widths or shapes of heel ends of lasts, and the nuts 186, threaded on the bolts 168 and furnishing abutments for the springs 165, may be turned to compensate for the adjustment of the nut 167 to maintain the tension of the springs substantially uniform. This capacity for right and left adjustment of the lasting devices for opposite ends of the last perhaps will be more clearly understood by reference to Figs. 14v and 15, which illustrate, diagrammatically,

this full adjustment for rights and lefts at both ends of a last possessed by a machine embodying my invention.

For example, referring to Fig. 14, a common outline of a left last is there shown at Z, the view of course looking down upon the bottom or tread of the last, as must always be the case in a lasting-machine of this type, where during lasting the last is turned hot- The median line of the machine is indicated by the dotted line 0 ,0, and if the last were a perfectly straight last or nearly straight the median lines of the toe portion and heel portion of the last would coincide with the median line of the machine, as would also the line of movement of the toe and heel With the last' shown, however, it will be seen that the median line 0 o of the toe portion of the last and the median line 0 0 of the heel portion of the last both lie at considerable angles to the median line of the machine and out of alinement therewith, and by my invention the toe and heel lasting mechanisms automatically adjust their respective lines of movement and their respective positions to correspond with the lines 0 0 and 0 0 so that they will act upon the ends of this extremely crooked last with the same accuracy and uniformity as they would act upon a'straight last.

In Fig. 15 is shown the corresponding right last, and the different angles of the lines o 0 and 0 0 as compared with the correspond- 7 ing lines in Fig. 14, indicate the extent to which the toe and heel mechanisms will antomatically move or shift in acting upon first a left and then a right shoe of this style, and it will be further noticed that it matters not how crooked may be the last or what the an gles at the ends thereof my invention en-. ables the heel and toe mechanisms to automatically and properly meet the varying ends of the last without requiring any peculiar positioning of the last, orany necessary change in-the position of the last, or any difference, so far as the operator is concerned, in the manipulating of the operating-handles for lasting the toes and the heels.

It is of course apparent that should the contour of the last'so require the toe mechanism might adjust itself along the line 0 0, Fig. 14, and the heel mechanism along the line 0 0 Fig. 15, or the toe mechanism along the line 0 0, Fig. 15, and the heel mechan ism along the line 0 0 Fig. 14.

' From the foregoing description it will be understood how in the machine herein described and shown the toe-lasting devices and the heel-lasting devices are each automatically adjustable to meet the varying ends of lasts, either rights or lefts.

It is obvious that my broad invention may be embodied in mechanism difierin g in detail from that herein specifically shown and described, it being essential only that the mechanism should be such as automatically to effect the said relative adjustment between the or lefts or otherwise made in contour and angularity.

The heel-lasting mechanism herein shown is substantially identical with the end lasting mechanism which is the subject-matter of another application filed by me February 14, 1896, Serial No. 579,231; and .applications filed by me April 14, 1896, and August 14, 1897,v Serial Nos. 587,488 and 648,236, respectively, show other end lasting mechanisms having the capacity for automatic adjustment to meet the variations in swing-'in'the ends of lasts, whether rights or lefts. claims of this present application are generic to all these various mechanisms.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A machine for lasting boots and shoes, containing toe, heel and side lasting mechanisms, and'a support for the last carrying the shoe to be lasted, all constructed and arranged to permit said last and said toe and heel lasting mechanisms to be relatively and automatically moved to bring the respective lines of action of said toe and heel lasting mechanisms into substantial correspondence with the line of direction in which the toe and heel portions of the last respectively face, substantially as described.

2. A machinefor lasting boots and shoes Thecontaining toe and heel lasting mechanisms, and a support for the last carrying the shoe to be lasted, all constructed and arranged to permit said last and said toe and heel lasting mechanisms to be relatively and automatically moved to bring the respective lines of action ofsaid toe and heel lasting mechanismsinto substantial correspondence with the line of direction in which the toe and heel portions of the last respectively face, substantially as described.

3. Alasting-machine for useinlastingboots and shoes, containing a support for the last and end lasting mechanism, constructed and arranged to permit relative and automatic movement of said last and end lasting mechanism to enable the latter to act in a direction corresponding to the direction in which the end of the last faces, substantially as described.

4. A machine for lasting boots and shoes, containing manuallyoperated end lasting mechanisms, an operating-handle for the said end lasting mechanism, a support for the last and the shoe thereupon, and means whereby movement of said operating-handle acts first and automatically to aline said end lasting mechanism and the end of the last, and thereafter to lay the material of the shoe over and upon said last.

5. A machine for lasting boots and shoes, containing asupportfor the last with the shoe thereupon, and end lasting mechanism with a clasp adapted to embrace the end of the last and the material thereupon,and means whereby said clasp on meeting and adapting itself to the alinement of the end of the last, acts automatically to move said end lasting mechanism also into alinement with said end of the last. a

6. A machine for lasting boots and shoes containing end lasting mechanisms, and a support for the last carrying the shoe to be lasted all constructed and arranged to permit said last and said end lasting mechanism to be relatively and automatically moved by said last to bring the alinement of said end lasting mechanisms and the ends of said last into substantial correspondence.

7. A machine for lasting boots and shoes, containing a support for the last carrying the shoe to be lasted, toe, heel and side lasting mechanisms, means to move said toe and heel lasting mechanisms one toward and from the other and with relation to said side lasting mechanisms,said last-support and said toe and heel lasting mechanisms being constructed and arranged to relatively and automatically move to bring said toe and heel lasting mechanisms into substantial alinement with the ends of said last.

8. A machine for lasting boots and shoes containing a support for the last carrying the shoe to be lasted, toe, heel and side lasting mechanisms, said last-support and said toe and heel lasting mechanisms being constructed and arranged to permit a relative and automatic movement to bring the alinement of .the ends of said last and the alinement of said toe and heel lasting mechanisms into correspondence, said toe and heel lasting mechanisms also having the capacity of rolling to accommodate the roll of said last and the capacity of tipping to accommodate the spring of said last, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for lasting boots and shoes, a support for the last, toe and heel lasting mechanisms, means to actuate said toe and heel lasting mechanisms, said last-support and said toe and heel lasting mechanisms being constructed and arranged automatically to permit alinement of the last relatively to the toe and heel lasting mechanisms as an incident to the operation of the latter, substantially as described. I

10. A machine for lasting boots and shoes, containing a support for the last, with a shoe thereon, and end lasting mechanism with a member adapted to engage the end of the last and the material thereupon, and means whereby said member on meeting the end of the last or the material thereupon acts automatically to move said end lasting mechanism into position in correspondence with the end of said last as indicated by said positioning member.

11. Inalasting-machine, end lasting-plates, actuating means to move and close the same, a member tobear againstthe side of the boot or shoe prior to closure of the wiper-plates, and connections between said member and said lasting-plates whereby the latter will be adjusted automatically by movement of said member to act properly upon last ends Whether rights or lefts presenting difference of swing.

12. In a machine for lasting boots and shoes, end lasting-plates mounted to swing about a common center, a transverse slide-bar connected with said end lasting-plates to govern the relative movement of the latter about their common center and thereby to adapt the same to the swing of the end of the boot or shoe being lasted, whether a right or a left,

combined with a swinging member in the form of an end clasp, and connections between the same andsaid transverse sliding bar for moving the latter and thereby automatically adjusting said end-wiper plates to act properly upon the upper of the boot or shoe being lasted.

13. In a lasting-machine, the combination with the lasting devices and means for actuating the same, of means automatically to cause relative movement of said lasting devices and the last laterally to adapt the same for the swing of lasts either rights or lefts.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATTIIIAS BROOK. 

